Between Heaven, Hell, and a Place Called Hogwarts
by MugglebornArtist
Summary: Mitch and Gabe could never be described as your average students. Perhaps the fact that they can manipulate the natural magic of the universe and bend it to their will is what sets them apart. But that's not exactly an uncommon trait in the wizarding community. No, what sets them apart is the fact that the ghosts of the school and the brothers avoid each other like the plague.
1. October 31st 1980

It could never have been considered a dark and stormy night. The river was calm, the winds were soft, and it was warm in the Matte's house. A total of 81 trick-or-treaters had dropped by, each one leaving with a smile on their face. After the long evening had ended and as nine o'clock reached the east coast, Louie was finally settling down on the couch and curling up to Elise. TV volume low so as not to wake their sleeping son, Elise and Louie enjoyed the calm of the night together. Louie rose when an hour had passed by and the tv show he had been caught up in ended. It was completely dark now, the sun hidden behind the moon and stars. "Gonna check up on Mitch," he yawned to his wife as he stretched out.

A short climb up the stairs and a turn to the left brought him to Mitchell's room. He gently swung open the door, which creaked on it's hinges. He really had to get that oiled sometime. His son was sitting up on the bed, staring at the closed window. "Hey kiddo. Having trouble sleeping?" Louie asked softly.

Mitch turned his head to face his father. "Not tired." Mitchell pouted.

"It's getting late, Mitch. You don't want to be tired when Grammy and Grampy come for a visit, do you?" Louie asked, smiling as he ruffled his son's curly hair lightly and tucked him in. "Don't let the bed bugs bite."

When Louie had left the room, a man flickered into sight. He smiled warmly down at the boy, who stared up at him. "Where'd you go?"

"I never left, Mitchell." The man replied quietly.

Mitchell nodded in acceptance. "Are you gonna tell me a new story?" He asked as he sat back up.

"Not tonight. Your father is right. It's high time you went to sleep," The man answered. He pressed the tips of his fingers to Mitchell's forehead, muttering foriegn words that made Mitch's head feel fuzzy and his eyes droop. He tried to protest, but the words instead came out as a yawn. He was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Once the child was asleep, the man allowed a small light to appear in his palm. It danced down his fingers, briefly swirling on Mitch's skin before sinking into him and disappearing. The man smiled an ever-ineffable smile. His work here was done. Much like the light trail before, the man was gone in a second.

It wasn't a dark and stormy night. Then again, it couldn't have been expected to be. Ethereal presence rarely causes sinister weather. Halfway across the world in the small village of Godric's Hollow, however, could not have been more different. Even if the Dark Lord would never realize it, the fact that he stood outside the little house gave cause for the skies to darken. The story hit the Daily Prophet the next morning. James and Lily Potter were dead. Voldemort was gone. Harry Potter had survived the killing curse. The entirety of Great Britian's magical community was in a flurry. In North America, the news didn't cause as big of a stir. The one who it effected the most in the continent, was the man who finally learned of his school friend's demise five days later, while cooking breakfast for his wife and son.


	2. The Great Judgmental Dishrag of Fate

Deep in the hills of Scotland and secluded from the rest of humanity, there lies a large dilapidated castle. Despite having fallen into crumbling ruins, it is still quite beautiful. The feeling you get just being near it is overwhelming. It's powerful, something that used to be an impenetrable haven for the Lord and Lady of the land. It is now empty and it's existence unimportant. At least, to some. Some who could not go near without a subconscious feeling of being pushed away, because this castle was never meant for them.

But to the newest first year students arriving on the boats, the castle was like a shining beacon. It towered high above the Black Lake. The castle stole the breath away from every newcomer, just as it had for centuries. It was their future. Seven years of their lives, dedicated to studies at the most prestigious magical school to ever grace Europe. To the average tourist, it was a long-abandoned structure. To witches and wizards, it was so much more.

Such was the way of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Crossing the lake in the rowboat, Gabe couldn't help the smile that lit up his face. His first view of the castle lived up to every single one of his Father's stories. Not only did Hogwarts look like something straight out of Medieval Times and it commanded the same amount of power and respect. However, the true amazement only hit him when he followed the rest of the first years down the Great Hall.

It was a marvelous sight to behold. There were candles, suspended in the air by magic alone and somehow managing to not drip wax everywhere. There were banners hanging high on the walls, depicting the mascots of each house. And of course, there was the ceiling; enchanted to display the night sky and the bright stars in all of their glory. That alone could've made the six hour train ride worth it.

Gabe stood beside a red-headed girl who was fidgeting with anxiety and kept glancing over her shoulder. "I can't see them," She muttered to herself.

"Who?" Asked Gabe curiously.

"My brother and Harry. They weren't on the train either!" She hissed snappily.

"Easy there, firecracker. They'll show up," Reassured Gabe. "Just wait for this sorting thing to be over and then you can go find them."

The girl glared but nodded. "McGonagall's in the L's now. She just called Luna Lovegood. Why do I have to be in the bloody W's?"

Gabe would've asked for the girl's name had his not been called a moment later. "Matte, Gabriel!"

Gabe patted the girl lightly on the shoulder before walking forward to the stool. As he sat, Gabe braced himself for the high possibility that the hat would give him lice. He wasn't sure how long it had been around, but he was pretty confident in the fact it wasn't exactly free of parasites. The thoughts circled around until the hat was placed on his head.

_"I don't have lice," _Snapped a cool voice in his mind.

"Touchy, touchy," Gabe stated aloud. "Am I not allowed to worry about the risk of you killing me?

_"You don't have to speak, Mr. Matte. I can read your mind, you know. And I could not possibly kill you, not even with lice."_

Gabe gave a nonchalant shrug. _"Anything can kill you,"_ He thought to the hat._ "Even old judgmental dishrags of fate."_

_"What did you just call me?"_ Demanded the hat.

_"Why don't you read my mind and find out?"_ Gabe suggested innocently.

_"You're a cheeky one, Mr. Matte,"_ the hat sighed. "_Quick, clever, a dash of charming. But you don't strike me as a Slytherin. You're too reckless."_

_"I have a feeling you and Mitch would get along. He said the same thing."_

_The hat chuckled. "It's not a complete criticism With Recklessness comes the willingness to take risks others won't. And Boldness to stand up for what you believe in, no matter the consequences. It is a noble trait, Mr. Matte. I'll advise you not to forget that."_

_"I'll try not to. Now, I think people are staring. Can you sort me already?_"

If a hat could smile, then the Sorting Hat would have done so. _"As you wish. _**GRYFFINDOR!"**

The Gryffindor table clapped loudly as Gabe handed the hat back to McGonagall. Taking advantage of the situation, he gave his best grin. "Thank you! I'll be here all year!" He called out.

He gave a bow and then strutted forward to the Gryffindor table. The sorting continued as he took a seat beside his older brother's best friend, Sara. The older girl beamed at him, hugging him enthusiastically. "Wicked!" She exclaimed happily. "I knew you'd get in!"

"It was doubtful for a moment. The hat was thinking about creating House Matte," joked Gabe. "It'd be the house of the awesome and our symbol would be a sloth."

"A sloth?" Scoffed Sara.

"Sloths are cool," Gabe said in a completely serious tone.

"No, they aren't," Replied a voice from behind him.

Gabe turned to see his brother grinning at him. "And if there was a House Matte, our symbol would be Taz."

Sara laughed, scooting over to make room for Mitch. "So those are the only choices?" She asked. "An animal that only pees once a week or a psychotic cartoon character?"

Gabe nodded. "C'est la vie. Sometimes you just have to make an impossible choices. That's why he axed the idea of House Matte."

"Amen," Mitch added. "Anyways, congrats on making Gryffindor, Briel*. Although it'll be quite a tragedy to not have you around to annoy me in the common room."

Gabe's grin grew wider. "Be careful what you say, Chell*. I'll find a way into the Slytherin dorms at some point and you know it."

"You're a Slytherin?" Questioned a first-year girl frightfully. "B-but shouldn't you be at your own table?"

Mitch turned and smiled at her. "Probably, but I've been doing this for two years already and none of the teachers ever say anything. Besides, Gryffindor has the best meal options. I'll be back at my table in time for dessert."

The girl still looked a bit scared. "My cousins all say that every Slytherin is evil," She said quietly.

Mitch shook his head. "A majority is not a whole."

Gabe smiled in agreement. "It's not like every single Slytherin is a puppy kicking son of a-"

"Gabe, we're in school," Sara reminded in an amused tone.

Gabriel flushed, shutting up. They were distracted by Ginny Weasley being sorted into Gryffindor and the sorting coming to a close. The food began to appear on the tables, but before anyone could dig in, Dumbledore stood up. He cleared his throat and the entirety of the Great Hall fell silent.

"Thank you! It's my great pleasure to welcome you all to another school year!" He announced. "Now, before we all dig in, I would like to announce the addition of a new member to the staff! Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, who as you already know, will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts!"

Lockhart stood up, bowing graciously and flashing a pleased smile. "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."

Dumbledore kept speaking. "Now we can all enjoy our feast. Tuck in!"

Gabe followed happily, picking this and that from various platters around him. He listened to his brother and Sara, who had started up a betting pool on the new Defense teacher's fate. Soon afterwards, Snape rushed into the hall, seething with a silent fury. He exchanged a few quiet words with Dumbledore and McGonagall before the three left the Great Hall.

It was nearer to the end of the meal that Gabe caught his first glimpse of something unusual. The desserts had been set out, and Mitch and Sara had dragged him over to the Slytherin table for Black Forest Cake. It was as he was halfway through his slice that the Bloody Baron floated towards them. Gabe froze up, eyes automatically going to his brother's equally still form.

"Just keep your head down," Sara whispered to him. "He won't notice us."

True to Sara's words, the Bloody Baron floated by them without so much as a look. Once he had passed four other people, Gabe allowed himself to move again. "You never freaking told me there were vengeful spirits here!" He hissed under his breath.

Mitchell winced. "They technically aren't vengeful. There are no records of them actually harming or killing anyone. These aren't the usual salt and burn cases Mom talked about," He responded quietly.

"They. Are. Ghosts! And look at his armor, that's medieval shit!" Gabe growled lowly. "The longer a ghost stays, the more violent it gets. You can't seriously be telling me that they're harmless."

"I guess this is a bad time to tell him there's a poltergeist too," Sara added.

Gabe looked about ready to have a stroke. "And you haven't done anything? You didn't even tell Mom or Dad?"

"Dad came to school here, you dipshit. He knows, he just never thought to tell us. Just make sure you make polite conversation if they talk to you and try not to run them through with the pokers from the Common Room fireplace," Mitch snapped.

"And don't scream and throw salt at them because it'll just get you detention," Pitched in Sara.

Gabe kept staring at them. "Dude, you're lucky you have us here because the first time I saw them I did exactly that," Sara continued. "I may not be a hunter, but I know my supernatural."

Mitch nodded. "Seriously. I highly doubt Dumbledore would actually allow any dangerous spirit to stay."

It took a few minutes for Gabe to finally respond. "Fine. But first sight of danger from any of the ghosts and I'm personally finding their bodies and torching them."

"Hey, I'll help with that," replied Mitch. "I just want you think before you actually give them cause to go in vengeful spirit mode. The only one who could count is the poltergeist and his pranks are harmless. So just ignore them, and they'll ignore you. Okay?"

Though reluctantly, Gabe agreed. It was certainly going to be an interesting first year...

"Oh, and our History of Magic teacher's a ghost too."

Gabe let out a noise like a dying whale and put his head in his hands.

"Hey, he did the same thing you did in our first History lesson!"

* * *

I claim no ownership for Harry Potter or Supernatural

Footnotes:

*Chell and Briel are quite obvious shortenings of Mitchell and Gabriel. Mitch and Gabe call each other that when talking to one another, for the simple reason that no one else does.


End file.
